Four private shipyards among nine shortlisted for building aircraft carrier

PTI|

Updated: Jul 14, 2018, 03.53 PM IST

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In pic: India's first indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC) INS Vikrant for the Indian Navy ,at the Cochin Shipyard dock yard on May 30, 2015.

NEW DELHI: Nine shipyards including four owned by private players have been shortlisted by the government to compete for building the next generation indigenous aircraft carrier for the Indian Navy which could be nuclear powered.

The naval headquarters has written a letter seeking expression of intent for participation in the project, the most expensive single platform under 'Make In India' initiative, to the shortlisted shipyards. They have been given a deadline of July 21 to respond, defence sources said.

The government has set up a high-level study group, headed by Assistant Controller of Carrier Project Rear Admiral Surendra Ahuja to identify the suitable Indian shipyard and to arrive at a build strategy.

The proposed 65,000 tonne aircraft carrier will be India's biggest and longest. It will also carry on board over 50 aircraft.

The first indigenous aircraft carrier - 40,000 tonne INS Vikrant - being build by the Cochin Shipyard has the capacity to carry 30 aircraft. The 45,000 tonne INS Vikramaditya, bought from the Russians, has capacity of 34 aircraft.

According to the letter sent out to the shipyards, the warship could be either be nuclear-powered or conventional one using diesel and gas turbines.

It would have a catapult to launch fixed wing aircraft. India has always used "ski-jump" at the end of the flight deck to fly the planes off the carrier.

This is one area where the US will come into play. India and US have set up a working group to collaborate on aircraft carrier technology after the visit of US President Barack Obama.

American Navy's latest carrier, the 100,000-tonne USS Gerald R Ford, which will be commissioned next year, is the world's only carrier featuring electromagnetic aircraft launch system" (EMALS).

This means that the aircraft will gain its take-off velocity through an electromagnetic rail gun instead of the conventional steam-driven catapults.

The letter by the Navy says that modern technology can be considered for catapult launch.

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Kalvari: Indian Navy's first Scorpene class stealth submarine

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Scorpene class stealth submarine

7 Apr, 2015

Economictimes.com & PTI

Kalvari, the first of Indian Navy's Scorpene class stealth submarines being built under Project 75, achieved a major milestone with its 'undocking' at the Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL).

Image by Ministry of Defence

Project 75

7 Apr, 2015

Project 75, which has already seen a delay of almost 40 months, has now been brought on track and the delivery schedule for the successive submarines has been reduced.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who witnessed the undocking has asked Mazagon Docks Limited and Goa shipyard to double their production in the coming three years.

Image by Ministry of Defence

Named after

7 Apr, 2015

The first Scorpene submarine has been named after its predecessor, an erstwhile Russian 'Foxtrot' class submarine, Kalvari. It was the first submarine operated by India.

Image by Ministry of Defence

Remaining five boats

7 Apr, 2015

The remaining five boats of the Project 75 would be delivered by the yard to the Navy by 2020 and would form the core of the Navy's submarine arm for the next two decades.

Six Scorpenes are being built

7 Apr, 2015

The six Scorpenes are being built by Mazagon Docks Ltd in collaboration with French firm DCNS.